The Australian Bahá'í community and the Arrente Aboriginal tribe co-sponsor an intercultural celebration of indigenous peoples, ‘Heart of Australia Calling' in Alice Springs to mark UN International Year for the World's Indigenous Peoples. [BW93–4:90]

A Maoris teaching team visited British Columbia. The visit was reciprocated by The Journey of Teech-ma, the First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific. See entry for 24 March, 1997. [SDSC370]

The nine member First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific, called "The Journey of Teech-ma" consisted of Canadian Bahá'ís from Kwakiutl, Nuu-Cha-Nuth, the Ojibway First Nations, a Yupik Bahá'í from Alaska and three non-Native Canadian friends. They shared their culture and their Faith with the Maori, other New Zealanders, the Aborigines and other Australians as well as the ne-Vanuatu peoples. See entry for 1994 Summer. [SDSC370]

The vote was passed by a majority of 144 states in favour, 4 votes against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) and 11 abstentions (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Samoa and Ukraine).
Since that time, the four countries voting against have reversed their position and now support the Declaration. [Division for Social Policy and Development Indigenous Peoples website]

In November 2010, Canada issued a Statement of Support endorsing the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In November 2015, the Prime Minister of Canada asked the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs and other ministers, in the mandate letters, to implement the declaration.

In May 2016, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs announced Canada is now a full supporter, without qualification, of the declaration.

Deloria Bighorn, chairperson of the National Spiritual Bahá'ís of Canada, presented, on behalf of the Bahá'í Community of Canada, a submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at the BC National Event held in Vancouver from September 18th to the 21st. The formal presentation followed a panel organized by the Canadian Baha’i Community and Reconciliation Canada. The previous week 250 people listened to Chief Doug White, Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, and Dr. Paulette Regan from the Commission discussing the challenge of reconciliation. [T&R website, CBN 24 September, CBN 9 February, 2018, BWNS1248]

Australian Bahá'í Studies: Vol. 2 (2000). The complete issue of volume 2. Some papers were delivered at the 18th annual ABS conference "The Creative Inspiration: Arts and Culture in the Bahá’í Faith" (Melbourne, September 1999). [about]

Diné Becoming Baha'i: Through the Lens of Ancient Prophecies, by Linda S. Covey (2011). Some Diné (Navajo) convert to the Baha'i Faith because it fulfills their ancient prophecies, its institutions provide autonomy and empower the Diné people, and Baha'i values of cultural diversity allow Diné to practice their traditional ways. [about]

Faith and Works: Maoris and the Baha'i Faith (1995). The transcript of an interview with two New Zealand Baha'is, Huti Toataua and Hedi Moani, aired by the New Zealand National Radio show "Faith and Works" (May, 1995) on "the growing relationship between the Maori community and the Baha'i Faith." [about]

From The Editor's Desk, by Linda S. Covey and Roshan Danesh, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:3 (2016). Introduction to this issue's articles on the unique potentials of the indigenous population of America, recovery from the residential schools, eradicating prejudice, and the intersection between the
Bahá’í Faith and native peoples. [about]

Lonely road to native title determination, A, by Walter Waia, in Australian Bahá'í Studies, vol. 2 (2000). A personal account of the Saibai Island Native Title Claim: a story of an Indigenous Australian who "walked a learning road to fulfill his obligations to his family, his clan and to the community." [about]

Navajo Tradition, The: Transition to the Bahá'í Faith, by Linda S. Covey, in Images, imaginations, and beyond: proceedings of the 8th Native American Symposium, November 2009, ed. Mark B. Spencer (2010). Examines three reasons behind the conversion of some Navajo to Baha'i in the early 1960s: fulfillment of prophecy, cultural empowerment and autonomy, and protection of traditional practices. [about]

Personal Journey toward Reconciliation, A, by Patricia Verge, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:3 (2016). On the author's spiritual journey and how it has been entwined with First Nations people; tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Bahá'ís; pioneering to the Nakoda community; and the importance of learning, listening, and personal transformation. [about]

Signs of God on Earth, by Ruhiyyih (Mary Maxwell) Khanum (1963). Talk presented at the First Baha'i World Congress in London, 1963, about pioneering, teaching indigenous people, and about her memories of the Guardian. [about]